How can you be brilliant?
The answer is simple – discover what you really enjoy and do more of it.
A strengths-based approach identifies what we are good at, then helps us develop our natural talents to deliver excellence.
People who know their talents and have the opportunity to use them at work are:
- 6 times as likely to be engaged in their jobs.
- More than 3 times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life.
- Likely to have 7.8% greater productivity.
Teams that focus on strengths every day have:
- Increased sales of 10% – 19%
- Greater profit of 14% – 29%
- Improved engagement of employees by 9% – 15%
Source: Gallup. See the Technical data
How does it work?
It all comes down to the wiring in our brains. Everyone is made differently and it’s a little bit like the road network across a country. The fast motorways enable us to travel at speed towards a town where the country lanes take longer to navigate and cover the distance. Tasks we achieve at speed are like the towns we can reach via a motorway, they are quick and easy. Duties we struggle with are like the towns where we do not have a direct motorway connection so we use the country lanes. They take longer and often require more effort.
Through 50 years of research, Gallup has distilled all the areas of talent down to just 34 themes. Their on-line assessment identifies our top 5 themes of talent. These are the things we naturally do instinctively well. The Clifton Strengths® assessment identifies the motorways in our head, exposing the areas where we can think quickly and easily.
Exploring and developing our top 5 themes provides a greater understanding of who we are and what we can do well. Focusing on these areas increases enjoyment and fulfillment.
What does the report tell us?
The Clifton Strengths® assessment names our top 5 themes of talent. The Strengths Insights Report is personalised for the individual and is uncannily accurate. It helps us to understand a bit more about ourselves and puts into words what we enjoy doing.
The report does not tell us what we should do. It concentrates on how we best do things. The end goal may be the same but by adjusting the way we get there we can change our perspective of the task.
How can this help me?
Gaining an appreciation of our top 5 themes of talent enables us to articulate what we can contribute and how we can make a difference. It also provides insights on what we need in order to give of our best. Sometimes we over apply a talent and it comes across as a negative or weakness. Becoming more aware of ourselves allows us to moderate a theme from an overpowering state to a productive state. Occasionally we are not aware of a talent, it is something that we take for granted. Appreciating and gaining our own permission to use this talent empowers us to step up and raise our game.
Understanding how our themes work and appreciating the themes of others increases collaboration amongst partnerships and teams.
What about our weaknesses?
A weakness only becomes a problem if we try to use it. There are several strategies for mitigating weaknesses so they do not get in the way of our strengths.
How credible is the assessment?
The CliftonStrengths® assessment, previously called StrengthsFinder®, has been taken by 30 million people across 247 different countries. It is available in 40 different languages. The chances of someone having the same top 5 themes in the same order as you is 1 in 33 million. For the UK, that’s you and just one other person.
Who uses the assessment?
As the CliftonStrengths® assessment reveals our unique innate talents, it is more in-depth than measuring behaviours that are often situational. Therefore it can be applied in a wide variety of situations. Most commonly it is used in business however, it is widely used in education, faith groups, marriages and families.
Many people want to develop themselves as individuals where the effect of creating a strengths-based team can significantly improve productivity and profitability.
What is the next step?
Take the CliftonStrengths® Assessment to discover your top 5 themes.
Knowing our areas of natural talent is the start of the journey. Turning them into strengths to deliver excellence requires action. The best way to take action is through strengths coaching or training. To find out more contact Richard Sterry
